Why CC GUI Is the Must‑Have Free 3.3k‑Star Plugin for Claude Code and Codex in IntelliJ IDEA

Developers using JetBrains IDEs frequently face the awkward workflow of writing code in IDEA while having to switch to a separate terminal window to interact with Claude Code or Codex, breaking their train of thought.

VS Code’s official Anthropic extension embeds the AI directly in the sidebar, providing a smoother experience. JetBrains offers an ACP (Agent Client Protocol) channel that connects CLI agents, but it lacks GUI features such as session management, image input, and skill systems.

CC GUI (formerly Claude Code GUI) is an open‑source IDEA plugin (MIT licensed, 3.3k Stars on GitHub) that wraps the Claude Code and Codex CLI agents into a full visual interface, pulling all operations—terminal commands, screenshots, file browsing, and browser links—into a single panel.

The plugin does not conflict with the official ACP route; both can be installed side‑by‑side. ACP is suited for heavy command‑line usage and long‑running tasks, while CC GUI excels for visual, short‑term interactions.

Installation (≈10 minutes)

Open Settings → Plugins, search for “CC GUI”, and install.

On first launch, the plugin guides the installation of Claude Code or Codex SDKs (≈20 seconds).

Supplier configuration supports four methods: Anthropic Console API Key, direct import from local settings.json, cc-switch import, and custom third‑party endpoints. The author prefers the direct settings.json import for zero‑configuration setup.

Chat and planning – the right‑hand panel allows direct conversation. Using the /plan command, the AI scans the project, reads relevant code, consults payment integration docs, and returns a structured implementation plan (files to modify, classes to add, SDKs, signing, callbacks, etc.). This separates design from execution, reducing failure rates for risky tasks such as payment gateway integration.

Key differences highlighted:

CLI mode: issuing “integrate UnionPay” makes the AI edit code immediately, risking mistakes. /plan mode: AI first proposes a detailed plan, which the developer reviews before applying changes.

Additional built‑in features include token/expense statistics, AI‑generated commit messages following Conventional Commits, AI pre‑review of diffs, Skill browsing and activation, and MCP server session history management.

When choosing an AI coding agent for JetBrains, three mainstream options exist: CC GUI (for existing Claude Code/Codex users), Qoder (free tier, deep Java ecosystem), and CodeBuddy (Tencent cloud‑centric). They are not competitors but address different developer scenarios and can be installed together.

The core philosophy of CC GUI is to shift focus from “where to use AI” to “what to use AI for”, encapsulated in three principles: integrating all Claude Code/Codex capabilities into a single IDEA panel, enforcing disciplined AI‑assisted coding via /plan and AI review, and embedding team code‑review standards into reusable Skills.

For JetBrains power users already leveraging Claude Code or Codex, the MIT‑licensed, community‑driven CC GUI is a quick, free, and low‑risk addition to the development workflow.